District · Bay of Plenty
Western Bay of Plenty district in numbers
Western Bay of Plenty district had an estimated 60,100 people at 30 June 2026, up 2.2% (1,300 people) since the 2023 Census, 2nd of 6 in Bay of Plenty for growth. 24% of its 19,929 households rent, 58% own and 18% hold the home in a family trust (2023 Census).
People, June 2026
60,100
+2.2% (+1,300) since the 2023 Census
Latest year
+0.3%
+200 people, June 2025 to June 2026
Since 1996
+69.8%
Thirty years of Stats NZ estimates
Median weekly rent, Bay of Plenty
$650
Lower quartile $550, upper $730. 24,345 active bonds. MBIE, July 2026. Regional figure; MBIE does not publish this district on its own
Median full-time earnings, Bay of Plenty
$1,537 a week
June 2026. Regional, not district level
Employment rate, Bay of Plenty
65.6%
Unemployment 7.1%, 2026 Q1. Regional survey estimate
Population, 1996 to 2026
Stats NZ estimated resident population at 30 June. Estimates after 2023 are provisional and built on the 2023 Census. Dark bars: first year, 2023 Census base, latest.
Population by year, 2019 to 2026
| 30 June | People | Change on the year |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 54,100 | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 56,400 | +4.3% |
| 2021 | 57,300 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 57,600 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 58,800 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 59,900 | +1.9% |
| 2025 | 59,900 | 0% |
| 2026 | 60,100 | +0.3% |
How Western Bay of Plenty district households hold their homes
- 58% own their home
- 24% rent
- 18% held in a family trust
19,929 households, 2023 Census.